Patent Application
20190380396
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The disclosure and prior art relates to cushioning devices and more particularly pertains to a new cushioning device for enhancing comfort.
An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above by generally comprising a shell and a plurality of pads. The shell is tubular and has an open end so that the shell is configured to insert a foot through the open end. The shell is flexible so that the shell is configured to conform to the foot that is positioned in the shell. A plurality of first couplers is coupled to an exterior surface of the shell. The pads are resilient. Each of a plurality of second couplers is coupled to a respective pad. The second coupler is positioned to selectively couple to a respective first coupler to couple the respective pad to the shell, positioning the respective pad to cushion a portion of the foot that is positioned in the shell adjacent to the respective pad.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the disclosure in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the disclosure that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
The objects of the disclosure, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the disclosure, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure.
The disclosure will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein:
With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to
As best illustrated in
Each pad 14 has a respective shape so that the plurality of pads 14 comprises pads 14 that have a variety of shapes. Each pad 14 has a respective thickness so that the plurality of pads 14 comprises pads 14 that have a variety of thicknesses. The pads 14 may comprise memory foam. Each pad 14 also may comprise a bladder 18 that defines an interior space 20. A gel 22 is positioned in and substantially occupies the interior space 20.
The plurality of pads 14 comprises a first cushion 24, a second cushion 26, a third cushion 28, a fourth cushion 30, a fifth cushion 32, and a sixth cushion 34. The first cushion 24 is shaped complementarily to a heel of the foot, as shown in
A plurality of first couplers 36 is coupled to an exterior surface 38 of the shell 12. Each of a plurality of second couplers 40 is coupled to a respective pad 14. The second coupler 40 is positioned to selectively couple to a respective first coupler 36 to couple the respective pad 14 to the shell 12, positioning the respective pad 14 to cushion a portion of the foot that is positioned in the shell 12 adjacent to the respective pad 14. The second coupler 40 and the respective first coupler 36 comprise a hook and loop fastener 42, as shown in
The pads 14 are configured to provide support, to deter formation of blisters, corns, and calluses, and to reduce impact to feet and skeletal system of the body as the user walks and runs. The shell 12 may be worn with and without an article of footwear positioned over the shell 12.
In use, the foot is inserted through the open end 16 into the shell 12. The user selects pads 14 from the plurality of pads 14 to meet the user's specific requirements in selectively cushioning regions of the user's foot. The second couplers positioned on the selected pads 14 are coupled to their respective first couplers to coupled to the pads 14 to the regions of the foot per the user's requirements.
With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of an embodiment enabled by the disclosure, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by an embodiment of the disclosure.
Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the disclosure to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the disclosure. In this patent document, the word “comprising” is used in its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article “a” does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be only one of the elements.
